Fulton County’s Innovation Academy Reimagines Astronomy Education with Slooh

Featuring Steve Jones, Astronomy & Science Research Teacher, Innovation Academy – Fulton County Schools, Georgia

“Teachers, don’t be afraid of it. You’re not going to mess anything up. It’s simple to use, and once you figure it out, the student engagement is just incredible.”

Steve Jones, a veteran science educator at Innovation Academy in Fulton County, Georgia, has spent the past academic year integrating Slooh into his senior-level astronomy classes. Through this partnership, Jones has transformed his classroom into an interactive launchpad for space exploration—making astronomy both accessible and exciting for urban high school students.

Innovation Academy is a public STEM magnet school with a strong emphasis on project-based learning. Students choose pathways in Engineering, IT, or Healthcare, and each is required to complete a capstone research project in their junior year. The school encourages hands-on, experiential education, making it an ideal environment for piloting new, tech-forward tools like Slooh.

Slooh in the Classroom: Implementation & Structure

During the 2024–2025 academic year, Jones integrated Slooh into three different astronomy classes, primarily for seniors. These courses spanned the full academic year.

Slooh was used in primarily two ways:

• Classwork Integration: Students worked with Slooh’s online telescopes, conducting observations collaboratively, as well as using Slooh’s curriculum for in-class group work (the Quest learning activities).

• Long-Term Assignments: Some Slooh Quests required extended timelines due to seasonal nature of the night sky. Assignments were given months in advance to allow for completion. These then became longer term projects for students. One student even created his own “Slooh Museum” with all the captures he got of various objects.

Here is the Planets section of his "Slooh Museum"

A New Frontier for Student Research

Slooh has enabled students to engage with real astronomical data in a way that hadn’t been possible before in their urban, light-polluted environment. They explored the Messier catalog, gathered their own images and data, and analyzed FITS files—skills they previously only encountered through university partnerships.

“Now they were able to take their own pictures of whatever they wanted… not just what the University of Kent said to get. That was really good,” Jones explained.

Some students became highly engaged, independently capturing images and even pursuing Quests just for the fun of earning Gravity Points—Slooh’s gamified engagement system. These “Slooh Champions” exemplify the kind of self-directed learning the platform fosters.

Teacher Benefits & Observations

For Jones, Slooh’s ease of use, student engagement, and authentic scientific exposure were game-changers.

• Ease of Implementation: Onboarding students was seamless. Canvas integration, expected to be available in the fall, will further streamline the experience.

• Authentic Exposure to Astronomy: Slooh debunked common myths about astronomers “just staring through telescopes,” instead showing students the full process of data collection and analysis.

• Accessibility: Students in urban settings had the opportunity to explore the night sky in ways otherwise impossible due to light pollution.

“Slooh gives them the opportunity to control their own telescope and get their own images. It lets them see that being an astronomer isn’t what they thought—it’s even cooler.”

Looking Ahead

Jones plans to start using Slooh earlier in the next school year to align better with his curriculum and provide more time for student exploration. He also aims to incorporate Slooh more directly into his students’ 11th-grade research projects, potentially presenting their work at the school’s annual public Showcase event each May.

“Every student has to do a research project... and Slooh is a great platform for authentic investigation and presentation.”

Advice to Fellow Educators

Jones encourages other teachers, regardless of their prior astronomy experience, to dive into Slooh with confidence.

“Don’t be afraid of it. You’re not going to mess anything up. It’s simple to use, and once you figure it out, the student engagement is just incredible.”

Why Slooh Works at Innovation Academy

Slooh aligns perfectly with Innovation Academy’s mission of doing high school differently. It offers a modern, engaging platform that meets students where they are and pushes them to reach beyond what they thought was possible.

“Slooh allows students to satisfy their own curiosity, do real investigations, and show off what they’ve learned. That’s exactly what we aim for in every class.”

Slooh has become more than just a supplemental tool in Steve Jones’ classroom—it’s a gateway to real-world science, creative exploration, and future career possibilities. From FITS file analysis to deep space imaging, his students are no longer just learning astronomy—they’re practicing it.

And with plans to showcase student work publicly and collaborate with Slooh’s ongoing programming, Innovation Academy is just getting started.